Hayley Wickenheiser is set for a significant promotion to help lead the Maple Leafs front office
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Keith Pelley is eyeing a major status change for Hayley Wickenheiser as he hunts for a leader with the vinegar and insider IQ to fix the strategic vacuum.
Undoubtedly a legend in Canadian hockey as a whole, Dr. Wickenheiser has a chance to cement her legacy as a potential architect of a Stanley Cup winning Toronto Maple Leafs team.
At least that's what Keith Pelley has in mind.
It makes a lot of sense given that Wickenheiser's name alone would bring a lot of prestige, but she's also a legitimate doctor with an onus on family medicine and a background in kinesiology. That type of wisdom is invaluable when making the right decisions on who to bring in.
Hayley Wickenheiser is being groomed for an elevated role to help lead the Maple Leafs roster reset
Word through the grapevine brings news that MLSE views the doctor highly, especially with the shift to a more medically-driven, numbers-based system.Elliotte Friedman explained the MLSE CEO has a lot of respect and admiration for Wickenheiser, and explained that Pelley believes she could be an integral part of management going forward:
I've heard that Pelley thinks very highly of Hayley Wickenheiser. One of the people he met with internally was Wickenheiser. I don't know that she is going to be the next person in charge, I honestly don't.
But I won't be surprised if something there appeals to her and she has an elevated role. I don't wanna say yes or no, but I wanted to point out I heard from multiple people he thinks highly of her.
But I won't be surprised if something there appeals to her and she has an elevated role. I don't wanna say yes or no, but I wanted to point out I heard from multiple people he thinks highly of her.
While it wouldn't be a real shock given that Wickenheiser isn't exactly new to the Maple Leafs front office, as she's been there since 2022.
It would be a shock to the system as a whole given that if she were appointed GM it then would make her the first female in NHL history to do so — apropos for someone with her stature.
You're also not going to find someone who knows more about winning than her either. She has four Olympic gold medals, seven golds from the World Championships, and was the first woman to score in a men's semi-pro league when she did so in Finland; she's a history-maker.
The promotion of Wickenheiser signals the end of the 'scout speak' area
If Pelley wants to have someone who is driven by results and not a hunch, then you can't really go wrong with a genuine doctor. Wickenheiser won't mince words and isn't going to speak in terms of relatives — this is the data, here's how we get better.
Not to mention the admiration and respect from the entire hockey world, but especially in Canada. With Toronto the 'Mecca' of hockey, her reputation goes a long way. It would also give the Maple Leafs one of, if not the freshest vision they've had in decades; the exactly shot in the arm they need.
She may not become GM, but if she were to be elevated to a position like Senior VP of Hockey Operations and work alongside the new President and GM, there could be a three-headed monster that deals exclusively with results-driven analysis to make improvements on and off the ice.
Pelley would be going outside the box with Wickenheiser given that there are several other executives around the NHL who would also be able to come in. But when you take a look at what she can offer from an executive, medical, and cultural standpoint?
Time for the good doctor to add another title to her ever growing resume.
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Previously on Hockey Patrol
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 3|1429 ANSWERS Hayley Wickenheiser is set for a significant promotion to help lead the Maple Leafs front office Should the Maple Leafs promote Hayley Wickenheiser? | ||
| Yes | 864 | 60.5 % |
| No | 565 | 39.5 % |
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